Written Answers

Wednesday 1 March 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farm businesses have been the subject of double counting of sheep with regard to payments under agri-environment schemes and how much money is involved.

Ross Finnie: There are 121 farm businesses which appear to be have been subject to double counting of ewes resulting in double payment of approximately £500k under agri-environment schemes.

Children

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it believes grandparents should have in the upbringing of their grandchildren.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This Executive is committed to supporting families to ensure that children receive the best possible start in life. We recognise the important role which grandparents play in many families but also that modern families are very diverse. We consider that arrangements for contact and support are best achieved through co-operation and agreement between grandparents and parents.

Communities

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to allocate any additional funding to encourage community participation in leisure and recreation and, if so, whether funding will be for capital or revenue purposes.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of community participation in sports and leisure in building strong communities. Many of the programmes already being delivered by  sportscotland are designed to increase participation levels in sport among all sectors of society. We also now have a network of 47 Social Inclusion Partnerships in place across Scotland, supported by funding of £137 million over three years, many of which are supporting initiatives to encourage participation in sport and leisure.

  Widening access has also been an objective of the cultural institutions for some time and access and social justice were identified by Rhona Brankin in her announcement of 7 February as among the key areas on which further consultation is to be undertaken in the preparation of the national cultural strategy.

Council Tax

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what immediate action it intends to take in response to the report by the Accounts Commission on collection rates for council tax.

Mr Jack McConnell: I confirm that the Executive will consider all of the legislative recommendations of the joint Scottish Executive/CoSLA Working Group on Council Tax Collection. I am pleased that CoSLA have responded positively to the practical recommendations. I have today set up an official group to consult on the recommendations and develop legislative proposals where appropriate. I have provided SPICe with a copy of the core membership, remit and outline timetable for action.

Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the social work budget in each local authority was spent on services for the elderly in each of financial years 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Iain Gray: Due to the way in which expenditure data are structured, it is difficult to identify exactly how much is spent on older people. There is an element of social work expenditure which cannot easily be allocated to individual client groups. In addition to "services for older people", local authorities record expenditure on "services for all community care client groups" and "social services management and support services"; a proportion of this expenditure will be on services for older people.

  The tables below detail the net revenue expenditure by each local authority on (a) older people, (b) all community care client groups and (c) social services management and support services as a percentage of total social work expenditure. Data are only given for the years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 as comparable information is not available prior to April 1996 due to local government reorganisation.

  Data for 1998-99 are from a different source than data for earlier years; the categories in table three are therefore slightly different. The apparent large increase between 1997-98 and 1998-99 is largely due to definitional differences.

  Some of the variation between authorities may be due to accounting differences rather than differences in the provision of services.

  Table 1: Net Revenue Expenditure on Social Work by Local Authorities 1996-971 (£ millions)

  





Older People

  

All Community Care 

  Client Groups

  

Social Services 

  Management and Support Services

  

Total Social Work

  

% Older People

  

% All Community 

  Care Client Groups

  

% Social Services 

  Management and Support Services

  



Aberdeen City

  

6.7

  

12.7

  

8.6

  

52.1

  

12.9%

  

24.5%

  

16.6%

  



Aberdeenshire

  

4.5

  

14.7

  

5.1

  

37.8

  

11.8%

  

39.1%

  

13.6%

  



Angus

  

7.8

  

3.5

  

1.5

  

21.5

  

36.1%

  

16.4%

  

7.0%

  



Argyll & Bute2


4.5

  

2.9

  

3.6

  

17.8

  

25.3%

  

16.4%

  

20.1%

  



Clackmannanshire

  

1.4

  

3.3

  

1.0

  

9.1

  

14.9%

  

36.6%

  

10.9%

  



Dumfries and Galloway

  

4.9

  

7.5

  

5.9

  

26.9

  

18.1%

  

28.1%

  

21.9%

  



Dundee City

  

6.2

  

8.2

  

4.4

  

36.8

  

16.9%

  

22.4%

  

12.1%

  



East Ayrshire

  

4.5

  

5.2

  

4.6

  

22.8

  

19.7%

  

22.8%

  

20.1%

  



East Dunbartonshire

  

0.3

  

5.2

  

2.1

  

12.6

  

2.0%

  

41.4%

  

16.6%

  



East Lothian

  

2.6

  

5.5

  

2.4

  

17.6

  

14.6%

  

31.0%

  

13.7%

  



East Renfrewshire

  

1.3

  

4.1

  

1.5

  

10.9

  

11.8%

  

37.8%

  

13.9%

  



Edinburgh City

  

10.7

  

21.4

  

22.4

  

106.6

  

10.1%

  

20.0%

  

21.0%

  



Eilean Siar

  

3.5

  

3.2

  

0.3

  

9.0

  

38.9%

  

36.1%

  

3.4%

  



Falkirk

  

2.1

  

8.9

  

2.8

  

28.6

  

7.3%

  

31.0%

  

9.9%

  



Fife

  

13.1

  

21.3

  

7.6

  

69.7

  

18.9%

  

30.6%

  

10.9%

  



Glasgow City

  

25.4

  

46.7

  

30.8

  

197.2

  

12.9%

  

23.7%

  

15.6%

  



Highland

  

9.0

  

10.3

  

7.0

  

36.0

  

25.1%

  

28.7%

  

19.4%

  



Inverclyde

  

1.4

  

6.2

  

1.1

  

20.4

  

7.0%

  

30.5%

  

5.2%

  



Midlothian

  

1.9

  

5.1

  

1.9

  

15.8

  

12.1%

  

32.3%

  

11.9%

  



Moray

  

3.3

  

4.6

  

2.1

  

17.2

  

19.3%

  

26.5%

  

12.0%

  



North Ayrshire

  

2.2

  

7.5

  

6.9

  

24.8

  

8.8%

  

30.4%

  

27.9%

  



North Lanarkshire

  

14.7

  

9.8

  

13.8

  

56.6

  

26.0%

  

17.4%

  

24.4%

  



Orkney

  

1.3

  

1.5

  

0.4

  

5.2

  

26.0%

  

28.8%

  

8.4%

  



Perth & Kinross

  

7.1

  

1.6

  

3.2

  

21.2

  

33.5%

  

7.5%

  

15.2%

  



Renfrewshire

  

6.7

  

8.0

  

1.9

  

32.3

  

20.7%

  

24.8%

  

5.8%

  



Scottish Borders

  

6.3

  

3.9

  

1.9

  

19.6

  

31.9%

  

19.9%

  

9.4%

  



Shetland

  

1.7

  

1.9

  

1.0

  

7.1

  

24.1%

  

27.0%

  

13.9%

  



South Ayrshire

  

5.6

  

4.6

  

2.4

  

20.9

  

26.9%

  

22.0%

  

11.5%

  



South Lanarkshire

  

7.5

  

11.8

  

11.8

  

47.7

  

15.7%

  

24.8%

  

24.7%

  



Stirling

  

2.5

  

5.3

  

1.4

  

15.2

  

16.3%

  

34.6%

  

9.5%

  



West Dunbartonshire

  

6.9

  

4.7

  

0.7

  

22.7

  

30.1%

  

20.6%

  

3.2%

  



West Lothian

  

3.8

  

8.4

  

1.5

  

29.5

  

12.9%

  

28.4%

  

5.2%

  



Scotland

  

180.7

  

269.7

  

163.9

  

1,069.0

  

16.9%

  

25.2%

  

15.3%

  



  Source: As reported by Local Authorities on Local Financial Returns (LFR3 Social Work).

  Notes:

  1. There have been definitional changes in the LFR3 form between 1996-97 and 1997-98 which may make comparisons difficult. In 1996-97 nursing homes were included in "Services for All Community Care Client Groups" and in 1997-98 they were allocated to individual client groups, including "Services for Older People". Additionally, supported accommodation and senior management and purchasing were included in "Services for Older People" in 1996-97 but not for 1997-98.

  2. The Argyll & Bute figure for "Social Services Management and Support Services" is estimated.

  Table 2: Net Revenue Expenditure on Social Work by Local Authorities 1997-981, 2 (£ millions)

  





Older 

  People

  

All 

  Community Care Client Groups

  

Social 

  Services Management and Support Services

  

Total 

  Social Work

  

% 

  Older People

  

% 

  All Community Care Client Groups

  

% 

  Social Services Management and Support Services

  



Aberdeen 

  City

  

4.7

  

20.5

  

6.6

  

52.8

  

8.8%

  

38.9%

  

12.5%

  



Aberdeenshire

  

8.5

  

9.6

  

1.8

  

37.7

  

22.6%

  

25.4%

  

4.7%

  



Angus

  

7.3

  

4.9

  

1.1

  

22.0

  

33.2%

  

22.2%

  

4.9%

  



Argyll & 

  Bute

  

5.8

  

3.1

  

4.3

  

22.8

  

25.5%

  

13.4%

  

18.8%

  



Clackmannanshire

  

1.2

  

3.8

  

0.5

  

9.8

  

12.0%

  

38.4%

  

5.3%

  



Dumfries 

  and Galloway

  

8.2

  

6.8

  

2.7

  

30.8

  

26.6%

  

22.1%

  

8.8%

  



Dundee City

  

9.5

  

7.2

  

1.4

  

37.7

  

25.1%

  

19.0%

  

3.7%

  



East Ayrshire

  

5.6

  

4.8

  

3.9

  

23.1

  

24.0%

  

20.9%

  

16.9%

  



East Dunbartonshire

  

0.5

  

8.3

  

1.3

  

13.8

  

3.5%

  

59.8%

  

9.6%

  



East Lothian

  

4.4

  

4.1

  

3.1

  

19.2

  

23.0%

  

21.5%

  

15.9%

  



East Renfrewshire

  

3.3

  

3.0

  

0.9

  

12.7

  

25.8%

  

23.9%

  

7.1%

  



Edinburgh 

  City

  

18.1

  

14.6

  

25.3

  

105.8

  

17.1%

  

13.8%

  

23.9%

  



Eilean Siar

  

3.4

  

3.3

  

0.4

  

9.3

  

36.1%

  

35.2%

  

4.8%

  



Falkirk

  

5.0

  

5.8

  

2.8

  

28.6

  

17.6%

  

20.2%

  

9.9%

  



Fife

  

16.3

  

18.9

  

6.6

  

68.3

  

23.9%

  

27.7%

  

9.7%

  



Glasgow 

  City

  

43.3

  

23.0

  

38.7

  

185.8

  

23.3%

  

12.4%

  

20.8%

  



Highland

  

12.9

  

4.3

  

9.1

  

38.3

  

33.8%

  

11.2%

  

23.7%

  



Inverclyde

  

4.1

  

2.5

  

3.1

  

19.8

  

20.7%

  

12.8%

  

15.5%

  



Midlothian

  

3.6

  

4.0

  

1.3

  

16.6

  

22.0%

  

24.2%

  

8.0%

  



Moray

  

4.9

  

2.4

  

2.1

  

17.0

  

28.8%

  

14.2%

  

12.6%

  



North Ayrshire

  

5.3

  

4.7

  

6.9

  

25.9

  

20.5%

  

18.0%

  

26.5%

  



North Lanarkshire

  

16.4

  

10.6

  

13.9

  

58.4

  

28.1%

  

18.2%

  

23.8%

  



Orkney

  

1.6

  

1.5

  

0.6

  

5.6

  

28.8%

  

26.7%

  

10.2%

  



Perth & 

  Kinross

  

6.7

  

2.9

  

3.5

  

22.3

  

30.2%

  

13.1%

  

15.7%

  



Renfrewshire

  

8.8

  

9.4

  

1.7

  

34.2

  

25.9%

  

27.7%

  

4.9%

  



Scottish 

  Borders

  

5.9

  

4.0

  

2.9

  

20.1

  

29.2%

  

20.1%

  

14.3%

  



Shetland

  

1.2

  

3.0

  

1.0

  

7.8

  

15.7%

  

38.3%

  

13.1%

  



South Ayrshire

  

5.4

  

4.3

  

4.2

  

20.4

  

26.4%

  

21.1%

  

20.6%

  



South Lanarkshire

  

12.5

  

13.4

  

6.2

  

53.6

  

23.3%

  

25.1%

  

11.5%

  



Stirling

  

2.8

  

4.3

  

1.7

  

15.4

  

18.1%

  

28.1%

  

11.0%

  



West Dunbartonshire

  

6.2

  

4.4

  

-0.1

  

21.0

  

29.6%

  

21.2%

  

-0.4%

  



West Lothian

  

6.2

  

6.3

  

1.4

  

30.3

  

20.6%

  

20.9%

  

4.7%

  



Scotland

  

249.6

  

222.7

  

161.2

  

1,086.7

  

23.0%

  

20.5%

  

14.8%

  



  Source: As reported by Local Authorities on Local Financial Returns (LFR3 Social Work).

  Notes:

  1. 1997-98 data are provisional and therefore are subject to change.

  2. There have been definitional changes in the LFR3 form between 1996-97 and 1997-98 which may make comparisons difficult. In 1996-97 nursing homes were included in "Services for All Community Care Client Groups" and in 1997-98 they were allocated to individual client groups, including "Services for Older People". Additionally, supported accommodation and senior management and purchasing were included in "Services for Older People" in 1996-97 but not for 1997-98.

  Table 3: Net Revenue Expenditure on Social Work by Local Authorities 1998-991 (£ millions)

  





Older People

  

Unallocated Admin 

  and Casework

  

Total Social Work

  

% Older People

  

% Unallocated Admin 

  and Casework

  



Aberdeen City

  

19.2 

  

7.6 

  

53.7 

  

35.8%

  

14.1%

  



Aberdeenshire

  

15.1 

  

1.6 

  

39.8 

  

37.8%

  

4.0%

  



Angus

  

11.4 

  

3.9 

  

23.2 

  

49.1%

  

16.9%

  



Argyll & Bute

  

8.8 

  

0.4 

  

18.6 

  

47.3%

  

2.0%

  



Clackmannanshire

  

4.5 

  

1.6 

  

10.4 

  

43.5%

  

15.1%

  



Dumfries and Galloway

  

13.7 

  

3.5 

  

32.4 

  

42.3%

  

10.8%

  



Dundee City

  

16.6 

  

- 

  

40.3 

  

41.2%

  

0.0%

  



East Ayrshire

  

9.1 

  

7.5 

  

23.8 

  

38.3%

  

31.6%

  



East Dunbartonshire

  

6.4 

  

2.4 

  

15.5 

  

41.2%

  

15.4%

  



East Lothian

  

8.5 

  

2.0 

  

19.3 

  

44.0%

  

10.6%

  



East Renfrewshire

  

5.2 

  

0.9 

  

13.5 

  

38.1%

  

6.7%

  



Edinburgh City

  

32.7 

  

- 

  

108.2 

  

30.2%

  

0.0%

  



Eilean Siar

  

6.2 

  

- 

  

10.1 

  

62.1%

  

0.0%

  



Falkirk

  

6.8 

  

0.5 

  

28.0 

  

24.2%

  

-1.7%

  



Fife

  

27.7 

  

11.3 

  

69.4 

  

39.9%

  

16.2%

  



Glasgow City

  

69.2 

  

4.5 

  

185.9 

  

37.2%

  

2.4%

  



Highland

  

19.0 

  

6.3 

  

39.0 

  

48.7%

  

16.2%

  



Inverclyde

  

9.5 

  

0.4 

  

20.7 

  

46.1%

  

1.8%

  



Midlothian

  

6.1 

  

- 

  

17.0 

  

35.5%

  

0.0%

  



Moray

  

6.5 

  

1.8 

  

18.2 

  

36.0%

  

10.0%

  



North Ayrshire

  

10.7 

  

1.8 

  

26.3 

  

40.7%

  

6.6%

  



North Lanarkshire

  

27.2 

  

0.2 

  

61.0 

  

44.5%

  

0.4%

  



Orkney

  

2.7 

  

0.7 

  

5.5 

  

49.4%

  

13.1%

  



Perth & Kinross

  

12.3 

  

1.4 

  

23.2 

  

52.8%

  

5.8%

  



Renfrewshire

  

16.2 

  

- 

  

36.2 

  

44.8%

  

0.0%

  



Scottish Borders

  

9.4 

  

0.7 

  

22.3 

  

42.3%

  

3.0%

  



Shetland

  

3.8 

  

- 

  

7.8 

  

49.2%

  

0.0%

  



South Ayrshire

  

14.0 

  

- 

  

22.9 

  

61.2%

  

0.0%

  



South Lanarkshire

  

27.3 

  

0.2 

  

54.6 

  

50.0%

  

0.3%

  



Stirling

  

6.0 

  

2.3 

  

16.8 

  

35.5%

  

13.8%

  



West Dunbartonshire

  

10.3 

  

- 

  

23.7 

  

43.5%

  

0.0%

  



West Lothian

  

13.0 

  

- 

  

31.6 

  

41.1%

  

0.0%

  



Scotland

  

455.2 

  

62.5 

  

1,119.0 

  

40.7%

  

5.6%

  



  Source: As reported by Local Authorities on Provisional Outturn & Budget Estimate (POBE) Returns.

  Notes:

  1. The 1998-99 figures are provisional outturn figures and come from a different source to the 1996-97 and 1997-98 figures, the apparent large increase between 1997-98 and 1998-99 in expenditure on older people is largely due to definitional differences.

Energy

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the decision on the application submitted by Scottish and Southern Energy for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct and operate a 3MW hydro-electric power station on the Abhainn Cuileig, Ross-shire.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Scottish Ministers have decided to grant consent for Scottish and Southern Energy’s application. This decision was taken after careful consideration of all the representations and comments received in connection with the application. The scheme is expected to safeguard local jobs and bring benefit to the area’s economy both during construction and through the need for additional services. A copy of the Department’s decision letter and consent, including the grant of rights for water abstraction, will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

European Funding

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all funds from the last European Structural Funds round have been allocated.

Mr Jack McConnell: Yes.

Health

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what medical conditions are currently identified through national pre-school screening and what plans there are to include dyspraxia within the screening process.

Susan Deacon: The National Pre-school Screening Programme currently screens for visual and hearing problems and some congenital conditions.

  There are no current plans to add a screening test for dyspraxia. Any addition to the National Pre-school Screening Programme would depend on the advice of the UK National Screening committee to Health Ministers.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow has a pattern of hospital facilities that is unsatisfactory and, if so, what it will do to address this problem.

Susan Deacon: It is primarily a matter for health boards and their Trusts to plan and deliver services to meet the needs of their populations. The Scottish Executive has, however, been working closely with Greater Glasgow Health Board and its partner Trusts on an ambitious programme to modernise and improve acute hospital services across the city. At its board meeting on 21 March, I understand that the health board will consider a package of proposals for the future of acute services in Glasgow prior to public consultation. Any decisions will then be taken following an interactive process involving the full range of interested parties.

Health

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review current provisions for dental care in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: The provision of general dental services is kept under review by health boards and Primary Care NHS Trusts, which work to ensure availability of and improvement in dental services.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a policy statement on the future structure of health boards.

Susan Deacon: The role of health boards will continue to evolve and develop to reflect the Executive’s wider agenda for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Executive’s views on their role are already contained in several key documents. The White Paper Designed to Care laid the foundation for dismantling the internal market and for restructuring the NHS in Scotland on the basis of co-operation and inclusion. Our Programme for Government developed our specific commitments for modernising the service. Health boards in Scotland will have an important part to play in taking all of this forward. Their role will remain a central one in shaping and delivering the strategic agenda for the NHS in Scotland and in securing improvements to the health of the people who live in each health board area. It will be a role increasingly carried out in partnership with NHS Trusts, with local authorities, Local Health Care Co-operatives and others who have an interest in health services – including the people who use them.

Health

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of inflation was and is estimated for drug price increases over the years 1998 to 2003 and what are the total expenditures and estimates for the drug budget for each of those years.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is shown the following tables.

  Table 1

  


FHS Drugs 

  Price Index 1, 2




Base

  

January 

  1993

  

100

  




January 

  1997

  

96.8

  




January 

  1998

  

97.2

  




January 

  1999

  

94.1

  




October 

  1999

  

99.0

  



  Notes:

  1. No estimates of future drug prices are available.

  2. The index is based on the costs of a fixed basket of drugs regularly updated to reflect changing purchasing patterns.

  Table 2

  


FHS Drugs Bill Net Expenditure1, 

  2



 

Cost (£ million)

  

% increase

  
 



1997-98

  

509.640

  
 
 



1998-99

  

544.330

  

6.8

  
 



1999-2000

  

615.253

  

12.9

  

Forecast

  



2000-01

  

681.131

  

10.7

  

Allocation

  



  Notes:

  1. Expenditure plans beyond 2000-01 have yet to be decided.

  2. The cost of the drugs bill has risen year-on-year and this is due to the increased volume of prescriptions and the prescribing of new higher cost drugs.

Higher Education

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish domiciled students are on courses which involve studying at a university in Scotland for a proportion of their course and at a higher education institution outside Scotland but within the United Kingdom for the remainder of their course.

Henry McLeish: In academic session 1999-2000 there are a total of 149 students attending a course in medicine jointly undertaken at St Andrews University and Manchester University. In addition there may be a number of students on "sandwich" courses which involve a placement at a higher education institution elsewhere in the United Kingdom but statistics on such courses are not available centrally.

Higher Education

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish domiciled students studying at higher education institutions in England, Wales or Northern Ireland are studying courses not available at higher education institutions in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: Information is not available centrally on how many Scottish domiciled students studying at higher education institutions in England, Wales or Northern Ireland are on courses not available at higher education institutions in Scotland.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why local authority rent arrears are at their highest level since 1993-94.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Rent arrears management is the responsibility of individual local authorities. Once the current study into rent arrears management being carried out by the Accounts Commission and Scottish Homes is completed, the Executive will consider whether further guidance to councils needs to be issued.

Justice

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that judgements in civil cases are enforced.

Mr Jim Wallace: Enforcement of civil court decrees is the responsibility of the creditor in whose favour the decree is granted. Creditors have opened to them a variety of measures of enforcement, dependent on the type of decree. These include arrestment of wages, bank arrestments and poinding and sale of the judgement debtor’s goods. The actual procedures for enforcement are carried out by officers of court as instructed by the creditor and under judicial supervision. Some decrees may be unenforceable due to the circumstances of the debtor.

Justice

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to expedite civil proceedings in Scottish courts, in particular child welfare cases.

Mr Jim Wallace: Rules of Court provide for a Child Welfare Hearing to be held not sooner than 21 days after the lodging of an intention to defend in a relevant action. At the hearing the rules require the Sheriff to secure the expeditious resolution of disputes in relation to children and allow the taking of such steps or making of such order as is thought fit.

Justice

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many court appearances are necessary, on average, to reach a financial judgement in a civil case and what effect this has on costs to, and the workload of, the Scottish Courts Service.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not available. Civil cases seeking a financial judgement can be raised in a variety of ways and the number of court appearances, and that impact on workload and cost to the Scottish Court Service will vary greatly depending on the nature of the case and the procedure followed. For example, over 80% of ordinary civil actions for debt are undefended and are concluded without any formal court appearance. The number of court appearances for the remaining actions in this category varies with consequential effects on workload and costs.

Legislation

Ms Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill will be introduced.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive has today introduced the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

  The Executive issued a draft of the Bill on 18 November and received over 2,200 responses to that consultation. I have today placed a copy of responses to the consultation, except those given in confidence, in SPICe and the Scottish Executive’s library.

  Many responses to the consultation commented that there should be a right of appeal from decisions of the Standards Commission. The Executive recognises that a right of appeal should enhance public confidence in the new ethical framework. We will take forward discussions on how this should be achieved with those with interests in this area, and will bring forward amendments to provide a right of appeal.

  Many respondents commented that the Standards Commission should impose sanctions on both councillors and members of devolved public bodies. The Executive fully appreciates the importance of providing parity of treatment for all in Scottish public life. Accordingly, we have amended the Bill to provide the Standards Commission for Scotland with the power to impose sanctions on both councillors and members of devolved public bodies. However Crown appointments have a special constitutional position and it would not be appropriate for the Standards Commissions to impose sanctions on such members. Instead, following an investigation of a Crown appointee, the Commission will make its recommendation to the Queen. The Executive will bring forward amendments to provide for such circumstances.

  When we published the draft Bill we said that we would make further changes to the administrative arrangements for the Standards Commission for Scotland, the Chief Investigating Officer and staff of these bodies: we have now done so. A number of technical amendments have also been made to the Bill.

  The majority of respondents to the consultation supported repeal of section 2A. However, throughout the wide public debate on this issue there has been genuine concern expressed by parents that repeal will leave their children vulnerable to inappropriate teaching on homosexuality.

  The Executive considers that section 2A has never offered a real safeguard to the interests of children. Safeguards are provided through the professionalism of teachers, local and national guidelines that are already in place, and the involvement of individual parents. The Executive believes that sex education is generally well handled in schools. But to ensure that our children will continue to receive sensitive and appropriate teaching on personal and sexual issues after repeal, the Minister for Children and Education announced on 27 January a package of safeguards. This includes strong and clear guidance to education authorities in a circular, advance consultation with parents by schools when planning sex education, simple direct procedures for parents to raise concerns and a review of the relevant curricular material by a special working group. This review will be completed before repeal takes effect. The Minister for Children and Education announced the remit and membership of the working group to Parliament on 10 February. As promised, we have today placed a copy of the draft circular and a summary of the existing curricular material in the Parliament’s Document Supply Centre.

  The Executive believes that a positive statement of values will be helpful to all concerned. On 24 February, the First Minister announced to Parliament that the Executive would introduce a new statutory duty on local authorities in respect of their functions which relate principally to children. Each local authority will be required to have regard to the value of stable family life in a child’s development, and to the need to ensure that the content of teaching is appropriate to each child’s age, understanding and stage of development. This duty is provided by section 26 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Bill. The Executive believes that this provision builds on local authorities’ duty of care and gives a statutory basis to the sensitive and appropriate teaching and delivery of services to children.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the allocation of overall local authority funding is currently distributed on the basis of deprivation indicators and what indicators are used.

Mr Jack McConnell: A significant proportion of the total local government settlement for the current year is directed towards services that can assist in promoting social inclusion and tackling deprivation, including, for example, education (£2.6 billion), social work (£1.1 billion), concessionary travel (£34 million) and supported employment (£7.5 million).

  Within the settlement, specific indicators of deprivation and poverty redistribute £72 million, which is 1.3% of total Grant-Aided Expenditure. A number of deprivation indicators are used, including Income Support recipients, children entitled to free school meals, children in households subject to "family stress", an area deprivation measure and homeless households. These indicators and services are described in detail in the annual GAE Green Book, copies of which are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  We have agreed with CoSLA to review this year the account taken of indicators of deprivation and poverty within the distribution system. Pending the completion of the review, we have agreed that, in addition to the existing deprivation adjustments, special payments totalling £20.6 million should be included within the 2000-01 local government settlement for those councils experiencing above average levels of deprivation and poverty.

  Separate provision is made outwith the local government settlement to assist councils in tackling the causes and consequences of deprivation and poverty, including through the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund, which totals over £56 million in the current year.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which five local authorities have the lowest financial allocations from it relative to their recognised poverty levels.

Mr Jack McConnell: All councils receive allocations based on their relative expenditure needs, taking account of a range of factors, including deprivation. One of the indicators of deprivation used within the distribution system is numbers of Income Support recipients as a proportion of total population. The five councils with the highest numbers of IS recipients as a proportion of their total populations (Glasgow City, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee City, Inverclyde and Eilean Siar) all receive grant support per capita above the Scottish average.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it's preferred poverty and deprivation indicators are and how the individual local authorities score in relation to these.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive’s targets and milestones for social justice were set out in November 1999 in our document Social Justice – a Scotland where everybody matters . Data at local authority level on these matters is not held centrally.

  A number of indicators of deprivation are used within the distribution of local government revenue funding between councils: my reply to Mr McNulty’s question S1W-4318 refers. The indicators, and the scores of each local authority against them, are set out in the Grant-Aided Expenditure 2000-01 Green Book, copies of which are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any link between lower per capita grant-aided expenditure redistribution and increased levels of council tax for individual local authorities.

Mr Jack McConnell: Council tax levels are a matter for local authorities to determine having regard to their expenditure guidelines. Authorities take into account their level of grant and other income in determining council tax levels.

Migration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the net migration figures for Scotland for each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is published by the Registrar General in Table 2.3 of his 1998 Annual Report, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Parliamentary Questions

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2420 by Mr Jack McConnell on 7 December 1999, when it expects to have available a more comprehensive assessment of the costs of answering parliamentary questions and whether this will include a detailed breakdown of the £100 average cost of answering a parliamentary question.

Mr Jack McConnell: We are finalising the arrangements for a major study to assess the amount of time Scottish Executive staff spend on dealing with parliamentary questions. This exercise will involve tracking up to 500 written and 200 oral questions. The data gathered from this exercise will be used to calculate the average costs of answering both written and oral questions. We expect the survey to be completed in May and a report, which will include details of the calculation of average costs, will be made available to the Parliament shortly thereafter.

Planning

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who has planning jurisdiction for the South Pier at Cairnryan, Wigtownshire.

Sarah Boyack: The matter of planning jurisdiction for the South Pier at Cairnryan is, in the first instance, for Dumfries and Galloway Council, as planning authority, to determine.

Research

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make changes to the present funding mechanisms of Scottish universities and research institutes in order to encourage participation in research which can be commercialised and patented.

Henry McLeish: The Executive has already taken steps to encourage commercialisation activity in higher education institutions, notably through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council’s (SHEFC) Professionalisation of Commercialisation Initiative, the Proof of Concept Fund introduced by Scottish Enterprise, and the Executive’s participation as a founding member of the recently announced Technology Ventures Scotland Initiative. In addition SHEFC is conducting a thorough review of its research funding arrangements.

  The Executive is also reviewing the commercialisation of the strategic research conducted at the Research Institutes it supports.

Research

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage mentoring in the commercialisation of scientific invention.

Henry McLeish: The Executive has already taken steps to encourage mentoring in the context of commercialisation activity, notably through the SHEFC Professionalisation of Commercialisation Initiative. This new fund provides £2 million per annum to improve the infrastructure for, and the management of, the process of commercialising research.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a national strategy for the distribution of traffic and weather information to motorists and other travellers and, if so, what measures are in place to monitor its effectiveness.

Sarah Boyack: The national strategy for the distribution of traffic information to motorists and other travellers is carried out through the National Driver Information and Control System (NADICS) which provides 24 hour a day traffic monitoring of the busy parts of the trunk road network. This information is distributed to travellers via the network of roadside Variable Message Signs, through the NADICS website (www.nadics.org.uk) and through information given by national and local radio and the motoring organisations. Performance indicators are currently being developed and will be published in due course on the NADICS website.

  Although there is no national strategy for the distribution of weather information, the NADICS system is widely used to provide information to travellers when severe weather causes disruption to traffic.

Transport

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new road casualty reduction targets for the period to 2010 will be announced.

Sarah Boyack: Considerable progress has been made in reducing the number of road casualties. In Scotland, fatal and serious casualties in 1998 were half the level of the early 1980s and all casualties had fallen by 17% during a period of substantial growth in road traffic. The progress made reflects great credit on all those involved in road safety.

  The Scottish Executive and the UK Government wish to build on that progress. A new GB road safety strategy, Tomorrow's roads - safer for everyone, is being published today. The strategy sets stretching new targets to reduce further the number of casualties on our roads. By 2010 we want to see a 40% overall reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured and a 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured, compared with the average for 1994-98. We also want to see a 10% reduction in the rate of slight injuries per 100 million vehicle kilometres.

  The strategy describes a range of road safety measures which will help achieve the new targets. Copies of the strategy are being placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  The UK Government is also publishing today a detailed review of speed policy. Again, copies are being placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Voluntary Sector

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the level of funding for the Council of Voluntary Service recommended by the Eglinton Review.

Jackie Baillie: The Eglinton Review made four main recommendations in its final report, of which one dealt with a method of funding the Councils of Voluntary Service. The recommendations are:

  to re-focus the activity of the CVS to promote and support capacity building in the community;

  to develop a shared funding approach which brings together the Scottish Executive with a range of key agencies;

  to re-organise along community planning boundaries on a federal or confederal basis;

  to develop a training programme for staff and volunteer managers.

  We are currently analysing the responses to our consultation on the review and are considering our response.

  The Scottish Executive will be taking forward discussions on the proposed shared funding approach. Our first priority is to fill the gap sites that exist in the CVS network. We are currently exploring this with CVS Scotland.

Water Authorities

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether water authorities currently have a duty to supply drinking water which is palatable as opposed to "fit for human consumption" and, if not, whether it has any plans to introduce such a duty.

Sarah Boyack: The water authorities have a duty to supply drinking water that complies with The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations. The water quality regulations prescribe standards for wholesome water supplies that include maximum levels for taste and odour. The Executive has no plans to change the existing duty placed on water authorities.